Sports Direct plans to open Athlone outlet

Another big name looks set to join Athlone's retail landscape next year, the Westmeath Independent can reveal.

Sports Direct plans to open a new outlet in the town in the summer of 2023, the UK-based company has confirmed to this paper, saying further details will be available closer to the opening.

The news comes hot on the heels of a planning application seeking to amalgamate five retail units over two levels in Athlone Towncentre “to accomodate a single retail store which will be occupied by Sports Direct,” said the planning report lodged in support of the proposal.

Hurley Property ICAV, for and on behalf of its subfund National Property Fund, lodged the planning application with Westmeath County Council on August 12 last, and should it be approved it would surely cement Athlone as the premier shopping destination in the Midlands and the West.

A number of retail units to be amalgamated have been vacant with some not reopening after the Covid lockdown, the planning report explained, adding that a number of other retail units in the centre will “accomodate stores to be relocated to facilitate the new Sports Direct store”.

On the planning drawings the units 5,6,7,8 and 9 are named as those formerly occupied by Elverys, Warehouse, Oasis, then a current tenant Quiz, and another simply named as A&H.

A change of use of a permitted restaurant on level one which was never occupied is also included in the new proposal for use as a staff canteen/office-admin/storage areas totalling 370 square metres, ancillary to the proposed retail unit.

When asked about plans to open an Athlone outlet, a spokesperson for Sports Direct said: "The store is due to open summer 2023, we’ll be able to share wider details closer to the time."

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Aside from the signage proposed as part of this application at the entrances at Civic Square and Gleeson Street, all other alternations are described as “internal modifications” which will not impact on the external facade, according to the plans. The internal works will include removing walls and filling in of existing voids will result in an increase in floor area by 81.65 square metres, it added.

Signage drawings included in the planning application read “Sports Direct USC”. In Roscommon town, where Sports Direct also has a substantial premises, one floor of the unit is occupied by USC, owned by the same company selling premier brands at discounted prices.

Putting the case forward for approval, the applicant argued in the planning documents that securing this long-term tenant is “critical” to the “ongoing success vitality and viability” of Athlone Towncentre shopping centre.

Founded in 1982, CEO Mike Ashley then aged just 18, opened his first sports and ski shop in Maidenhead in the UK. Over a decade later he had hundreds of Sports Direct high street shops across the country, and later Ireland. By 2019, as the business grew to more than a sports retailer, it rebranded as Frasers Group which also includes well known names like House of Fraser, Jack Wills, USC and Flannels.

Billionaire Mike Ashley also came to major prominence in recent years as the controversial owner of Newcastle United FC which he sold in 2021.